Charlotte of York (15 January 1582 - 14 May 1613) was the eldest daughter of Edmund, Duke of York and Madeleine de Bourbon. She was one of her grandmother's favorites and used it to her advantage. At age 15, she married the Duke of Pembroke.

Early Life

Charlotte of York was the eldest daughter of the Duke of York and his wife, born during the reign of her grandfather, Edward VI. When she was eight years old, her grandfather died and her grandmother, Queen Isabella retired to Richmond Palace after the coronation of her uncle, Alexander I. Her parents became extremely influential courtiers and so Charlotte, along with her siblings were sent to Richmond Palace to be raised by their grandmother. Here, she was brought up alongside her cousins, seeing her parents very little until she joined court after her marriage. During her early years, she formed close ties with her cousins Renata of Glocester, Renee of Clarence, and Henrietta of Kent. The four girls were tutored by John Whitgift from 1590 until they reached marriageable age.

Marriage

As the eldest daughter of the Duke of York, her hand was highly sought after by the nobility of England. Also, because her hand was a matter of state, considering that she was eleventh in line for the throne, her marriage was arranged by her uncle, the king. She was betrothed to William Cecil, from the extremely loyal Cecil family at the age of thirteen. They married at the end of 1597, advancing the Cecil family and keeping the royal blood loyal to the crown. She was a prominent courtier after her marriage, often at the center of the more literary circles of her day. Her cousins, Renee and Henrietta were often with her, keeping the salons of court well informed on court politics.